In a paper prepared by Mehmet Tutuncu, Mithat Aydin, and a member of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, historian Ardian Muhaj, an important document from the Ottoman Archives in Istanbul is revealed. According to it, the Congress of Vlora and the declaration of Independence on 28 November 1912 were carried out with the knowledge and approval of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Ottoman Empire.

The document is dated 27 November 1912 and is a decision signed by the members of this cabinet. It is a response to clarifications requested by the Ottoman commander of the area of Southern Albania and Chameria, based in Ioannina—the commander-in-chief of the Vilayet of Ioannina, Esat Pasha Yanina.

He asked the government in Istanbul for instructions on what to do with Ismail Qemali and his collaborators, who had left Durrës and were expected to arrive in Vlora to hold an assembly on the Albanian question.

The official response from Istanbul is clear and categorical: the holding of that assembly should not be hindered in any way, because Ismail Qemali had the approval of the Ottoman government for the actions he was undertaking and had regularly informed them of his movements.

A portion of the document reads as follows:

“27 November 1912. The Commander of Ioannina has sent a coded telegram and has raised some questions for the government. Ismail Qemali with 14 collaborators as well as some foreign subjects will hold an assembly on the political situation in Albania. It is the position of our government to grant the highest autonomy to all Albanian territories.

This is also the purpose of this assembly and for this reason it is of great importance that its holding is not hindered. The commander of the Vilayet of Ioannina as well as the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be informed about this issue.
MV., 171/53, 17.12.1330 (27 November 1912).”

Source

Document from the Ottoman archives. Telegrafi. https://telegrafi.com/pavaresia-e-shqiperise-u-shpall-miratimin-e-qeverise-osmane/?